CAA Media Day Recap and Response

Posted on October 25, 2024 by David Griggs

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CAA MEDIA DAY PRESEASON POLL:

  1. Towson
  2. Charleston
  3. UNC Wilmington
  4. Hofstra
  5. Delaware
  6. Northeastern
  7. William & Mary
  8. Monmouth
  9. Stony Brook
  10. NC A&T
  11. Drexel
  12. Elon
  13. Campbell
  14. Hampton

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-CAA 1ST TEAM:

-Ante Brzovic – SR, F – Charleston (Preseason Player of the Year)
-Gabe Dorsey – SR, G/F – William & Mary
-Landon Glasper – JR, G – NC A&T
-Kyrese Mullen – JR, F – Hampton
-Tyler Tejada – SO, G/F – Towson

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-CAA 2ND TEAM:

-CJ Fulton – SR, G – Charleston
-Christian May – JR, G/F – Towson
-TK Simpkins – JR, G – Elon
-Masai Troutman – JR, G – Northeastern
-Jaret Valencia – SO, F – Monmouth

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COMMENTS FROM DAVID:

-Towson won 20 games a year ago and with four starters coming back they are the preseason favorites to win the league this year. The job that Pat Skerry has done as head coach has been phenomenal when you consider just how bad this team was when he first arrived. They went from winning just one game his first year to 20 or more these past three years. It would be great to see them reach the top of the mountain this year. Tyler Tejada had a solid year as a freshman, and considering how players tend to improve the most between their first and second years he could be a huge asset to the Tigers this year. Christian May gives them experience at the PG position, and they have guys that can rebound, shoot, and defend. This is a solid Towson team that is going to be a lot of fun to watch this year.

-Charleston has had two incredible seasons in a row, but with Pat Kelsey departing to take the head coaching job at Louisville, and with just one starter returning from a year ago, this team is in what you would call a transitional phase. Having said that, Chris Mack is taking over as head coach, and he has been very successful at Xavier (and I would argue he did a much better job at Louisville than what he got credit for). I think he can keep this program winning at a high rate. They do have the Preseason Player of the Year in Ante Brzovic, and they went into the portal to get some standout D-1 players who were all big-time scorers, so it would not shock me to see the Cougars atop the standings again in March despite all the changes they have gone through.

-UNC Wilmington is also coming off three straight 20+ win seasons, but like a lot of teams they are having to overhaul their roster. Takayo Siddle has had a good run as head coach, but he is faced with some challenges this year. The cupboard is not completely bare as they have some guys transferring in that appeared to be key role players, and that can sometimes be some really strong building blocks, but right now I have far more questions than answers when it comes to this team.

-Coach Speedy Claxton has won 20+ games in each of his three years at Hofstra, but this year he is once again tasked with replacing several key players. Just one starter returns…and when you go down their roster it looks as though literally every player will be expected to play a bigger role than they have ever previously played as a college players. We are used to seeing this team win a lot, but it could be a struggle this year.

-Delaware is another team that is having to replace the bulk of their starting lineup. Niels Lane/Tahron Allen help make up what should be an experienced backcourt, but the rest of the roster is inexperienced and will have to step up into bigger roles this year if the Blue Hens are going to be successful.

-Bill Coen has had some great years at Northeastern. Unfortunately none of those have come recently. They have had four straight losing seasons, and while three starters are back and that experience should result in a few more wins this year, they do not seem to be a team that will finish near the top of the standings this year.

-William & Mary has not won more than 10 total games in any of the last four years, nor have they finished in the top-300 of most metrics. With three starters back, we may see some improvement this year, but I don’t think we will see them near the top. They do have a new head coach in Brian Earl, so the style of play of valuing outside shooters in the past might change as the program moves forward.

-Monmouth showed a ton of improvement last season winning 18 total games after winning just 7 the season before. Two starters are back, including Jaret Valencia, who received all-conference preseason honors. They do have to replace an awful lot, though, and it looks as though a lot of guys with limited experience will have to step up.

-Stony Brook had a very strong overall season and was on fire down the stretch. They won six out of seven before losing in the conference championship game in overtime to Charleston. The problem is that most of that team is now gone and head coach Geno Ford is starting over. Joe Octave was a solid player at Holy Cross and he is a nice get from the transfer portal, but the rest of the roster has limited experience.

-NC A&T returns all five starters!! That is almost unheard of in this day and age. The problem is the team only won 7 total games a year ago. While the experience should result in a few more wins this year, I do not see the Aggies finishing in the top half of the league.

-Drexel is a program that appeared to be building itself up in recent years. They won 20 games a year ago, but three of their starters graduated and the other two transferred out, so Coach Zach Spiker has to completely start over. It is hard to say what they will be like this year.

-Elon has three starters back, and that experience should help them some. TK Simpkins is a solid player, but he will need some help if the Phoenix are going to finish any higher in the standings this year, and they seem to be a little low on experience.

-Campbell was a modest 8-10 in conference play last year, which is not great by any means, and with three starters back I think the Camels can do a little better than next to last in the league this year.

-Hampton is just struggling. They have not managed 10 wins in any of the last three seasons, and with very little experience returning it looks like it is potentially another long year for the Pirates.

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South Florida Head Coach, and All Around Awesome Human Being, Amir Abdur-Rahim Passes Away at Age 43

Posted on October 24, 2024 by David Griggs

I don’t know what to say. For starters, he was just awesome at both coaching and at life. As a coach he took over a Kennesaw State team that was such a tire fire that they probably would have struggled to win at the D3 level, and made an NCAA Tournament and brought excitement to a place that had no basketball history at all. Then in his one year at South Florida, they cracked the rankings for part of the season and you just knew that they would continue to be successful and become more and more of a national brand. He was absolutely a rising star that had already risen pretty high. But beyond that is that, as a person, he was absolutely one of the good guys. Not everyone in this sport is. I don’t know what to say other than that. I wish I was a better wordsmith so I could express this in the way that it deserves to be expressed. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, players, and everyone that was close to him. This is just unbelievably sad.

STORY HERE

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OVC Media Day Recap and Response

Posted on October 24, 2024 by David Griggs

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OVC MEDIA DAY PRESEASON POLL:

  1. Little Rock
  2. Western Illinois
  3. SIUE
  4. Tennessee State
  5. Morehead State
  6. Eastern Illinois
  7. SEMO
  8. Southern Indiana
  9. Lindenwood
  10. UT Martin
  11. Tennessee Tech

MEDIA DAY OVC PLAYERS TO WATCH:

-EASTERN ILLINOIS -SR, G Nakyel Shelton, SR, F Kooper Jacobi
-LINDENWOOD – SR, G Markeith Browning II, JR, G/F Jeremiah Talton
-LITTLE ROCK – SR, G KK Robinson, SR, G Jordan Jefferson
-MOREHEAD STATE – SR, F Dieonte Miles, SO, G Trent Scott
-SEMO – SR, G Teddy Washington Jr., Jr, G Rob Martin
-SIUE – SR, G Ray’Sean Taylor, SR, G Desmond Polk
-SOUTHERN INDIANA – SO, F Stephen Olowoniyi, JR, G Jayland Randall
-TENNESSEE STATE – SR, F Ahmir Langlais, JR, G Justus Jackson
-TENNESSEE TECH – JR, F Daniel Egbuniwe, SR, F Rodney Johnson Jr.
-UT MARTIN – SR, F Vladimer Salaridze, JR, G Josue’ Grullon
-WESTERN ILLINOIS – SR, G Ryan Myers, SR, G Sean Smith

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COMMENTS FROM DAVID:

-Little Rock finished in a tie for 1st place last year and won 13 of their final 14 before losing to Morehead State in the OVC Championship game. KK Robison/Makhel Mitchell return to the roster, both of whom were big time contributors and likely will be again this year. Isaiah Lewis transfers in after having a big year at Murray State last year and will be a big piece for the Trojans as well. Little Rock is the preseason favorites because, quite frankly, no one else has as many talented players as they do. They look to be the hands down favorite to me.

No one else is really all that close to Little Rock. They will likely sprint away from the rest of the conference.

-Western Illinois has just one starter back from last year’s 21-win team. Ryan Myers is a solid player and a very good outside shooter, but some of the new guys are going to have to step up in order for this team to have success. They do have some players who were standouts in the JUCO ranks, so the cupboard is not completely bare.

-I like Brian Barone as a coach. Having said that, while he has certainly had some success at SIUE, he has not had quite as much as I thought he would over the last two years. Just one starter is back so the Cougars are in a rebuilding mode. Much of their roster is made up of guys with limited D-1 minutes along with some JUCO and NAIA transfers, so it is hard to tell what kind of team they will have this year.

-Tennessee State is having to replace their entire starting lineup. In fact pretty much the entire team is brand new as just one player returns. They did hit the portal and have a few guys with a decent amount of D-1 experience, but no one that really jumps off the page. Several standout players from lower divisions also join the squad. They are picked 4th in the preseason, which is not bad, but it is really hard to say how good they will be with so many new pieces.

-Morehead State has won 20+ games for each of the last four years and played in two NCAA Tournaments during that stretch. Having said that, Preston Spradlin (who was the head coach during that run) has departed for James Madison, and Morehead State’s roster has been overhauled. Dieonte Miles is the only returning starter and he averaged just 5ppg last year. Kade Ruegsegger was a standout player at the NAIA level last year, but other than that they just do not have any prolific or experienced players. Johnny Mattox takes over as head coach and he may have a difficult rebuilding project in front of him.

-Eastern Illinois just cannot seem to get it going. They won just 10 D-1 games last year, and while they do have three starters returning and perhaps have more experience than most of the teams in the league, the expectations still are not all that high. Kooper Jacobi gives them some strength at the forward position, and Nakyel Shelton was also a double-digit scorer last year, so their experience could help them get a few more wins this year.

-After making the NCAA Tournament two years ago, SEMO won just 9 total games last year and was an abysmal 4-14 in conference play. They do not seem to be all that improved this year, so I am a little surprised they are picked to finish as high as they are.

-Both Southern Indiana and Lindenwood are entering their 3rd year of the 4 year transition to D-1. The transition process is painful, especially in the second and third years. It is that period of time when all of their key players from before are gone, and it is hard to replace them because they are still on a postseason ban. Neither team won 10 games a year ago, and in looking at them both this year it is hard to picture them finishing very high in the standings.

-UT Martin finished in a tie for 1st place last year. This year, almost NO ONE is back. They have a new head coach in Jeremy Shulman, and rather than go into the portal he opted to sign 8 JUCO players. Many were solid contributors at the JUCO level, and I think they will do okay at the D-1 level. I do not think they will win the league, but I like them to finish a lot higher than this.

-Tennessee Tech is just bad. I do not quite understand why they are as bad as they are. John Pelphrey appeared to be a solid hire when he first arrived at Tennessee Tech, but in all five seasons he has been there they have been awful. They have so-so players that seem to play worse than what you would expect. They’re picked to finish last this year, and I agree. That is probably where they will finish.

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Pac-12 Media Day Recap and Response

Posted on October 24, 2024 by David Griggs

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Vintage television test pattern.
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WAC Media Day Recap and Response

Posted on October 24, 2024 by David Griggs

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WAC MEDIA DAY PRESEASON POLL:

  1. Grand Canyon
  2. UT Arlington
  3. Seattle U
  4. Cal Baptist
  5. Utah Valley
  6. Tarleton State
  7. Abilene Christian
  8. Utah Tech
  9. Southern Utah

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-WAC TEAM:

-Dominique Daniels Jr. – SR, G – Cal Baptist
-Tyon Grant-Foster – SR, G – Grand Canyon
-Ray Harrison – SR, G – Grand Canyon
-John Christofilis – JR, G – Seattle U
-Freddy Hicks – SR, G/F – Tarleton State

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COMMENTS FROM DAVID:

-I am really big on the Grand Canyon Antelopes. Picking them to win the conference is sort of like picking August to be the hottest month out of August, November, December, January and February. They are the best…and it is not even close. It would not surprise me to see them run the table in both the regular season and the conference tournament. They won 30 games a year ago, made the NCAA Tournament, advanced to the Round of 32 after beating Saint Mary’s, and while it was sloppy they actually held their own with Alabama (who ultimately advanced all the way to the Final Four). Four starters are back from that team. Tyon Grant-Foster averaged over 20ppg a season ago, Ray Harrison is another guy who can score, Duke Brennan is one of the better centers in the conference, and on top of all that JaKobe Coles (a fantastic outside shooter) transfers in from TCU. The question is whether or not this team belongs in the Top-25, and I think the answer to that question is undoubtedly…YES! They are not in the preseason poll. It takes the voters a little while to figure out how good some of the Under the Radar teams are, but I think they crack the rankings before the end of the year and go into the NCAA Tournament way inside the bubble and on the first ballot.

It is actually kind of hard to get all that excited about anyone else…

-UT Arlington had a nice 20-win season a year ago. The problem is that no starters are back and Coach KT Turner (who had a nice debut) is now tasked with reloading the roster. In fact just two players total return, and neither saw substantial playing time. Diante Smith was a standout player and good outside shooter at Nicholls, and Darius Burford was a contributor at Illinois State. I think they will do fine against all the teams in the conference…minus the top one.

-Seattle U has won 20 or more games for the last three seasons since Coach Chris Victor arrived, and last year they took home a bit of hardware after winning the CBI Tournament. This year will be a bit of a challenge as just two starters return and the roster seems to be largely made up of guys who have seen limited minutes at the D-1 level.

-Cal Baptist finished in just 8th place a year ago and are looking to improve on that this year. Dominique Daniels Jr is an outstanding guard who averaged just under 20ppg a season ago, and they have some solid looking JUCO players that can help fill out the roster. I actually like this team a little bit more than where they are being picked. I think they can finish as high as 2nd or 3rd this year.

-Utah Valley, like a lot of teams, is facing a roster overhaul. Just one starter is back from a team that won just 16 games, and they will look to guys who came off the bench last year along with some guys they got in the portal to play bigger roles and contribute this year.

-Tarleton State had a remarkable season last year, especially considering it was their final transitional year. They won 25 total games and advanced to the semifinals of the CIT. Billy Gillispie has proven that given time he can develop talent. The problem is that all of last year’s talent has now moved on. All five starters are gone, and they do not seem to have anyone with any significant D-1 experience on this year’s roster. They do have some promising freshmen, but they will have to step up early in their careers for them to have any sort of success this year.

-Abilene Christian has two starters back, and both were solid scorers and contributors a year ago. Bradyn Hubbard was a standout JUCO player and should be able to contribute some. Other than that, it looks like they will be relying on guys who saw limited minutes last year to step up.

-Utah Tech and Southern Utah each have two starters back, but both struggled last year and look like they will be bringing up the rear again this year. But, when they face each other the games will still be meaningful because they are both members of the Bee Hive Conference! That is one of our favorite Mythical Conferences.

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Season preview: HoopsHD interviews Columbia SR G Kitty Henderson

Posted on October 24, 2024 by Jon Teitel

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We are still about 2 weeks away from the tip-off of a new college basketball season, which means that we have plenty of time to start preparing for the action ahead. We will do so via a series of season previews featuring the best players/coaches in the country. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel continues our coverage with Columbia SR G Kitty Henderson, who talked about being a great defender and her expectations for this season.

You were born in England/raised in Australia: what made you choose Columbia? When I came to Australia my high school had a lot of basketball teams and I loved the sport so much. My coach told me about the US system and showed me what it was like. I did not think I was that good when I was younger and my confidence was not where I needed it to be, but as I got older it was something that I wanted to do. I wanted a change for college and really wanted to challenge myself. I love playing in the college environment and I had a very good relationship with my coaches from a young age, which is super-important for me.

You play for Coach Megan Griffith: what makes her such a good coach, and what is the most important thing that you have learned from her so far? Coach G teaches us so much, but the main thing is that how you do anything is how you do everything. You might not think that things outside basketball will matter but they will easily creep into your game. I try to put the same effort into everything in my life. She challenged me to be a better player/person, which I appreciate about her.

You started 23 games as a freshman: how were you able to come in and contribute right from the start? I really trusted the process and trusted my coaches. I just wanted the best for the team and did not have huge expectations: I remember being on the scout team and trying to make my teammates better. I got into the starting lineup a couple of games into the season and capitalized on that opportunity by trying to have a good impact. We are very equal-headed and there is no hierarchy: everyone respects each other equally and the upperclassmen made me feel confident in my role.

In the 2022 WNIT you made the Elite 8 and in the 2023 WNIT you made the title game: what is the key to winning games in March? The season is so long that by March your team culture comes out. Everyone is so tired that it comes down to who had good habits all year, and you need to set that standard early. We talk about winning 1st: it needs to be done much earlier than March, so we all have that mindset. Every possession/practice matters: you cannot suddenly show up in the postseason.

Last year you were named 2nd-team All-Ivy: what did it mean to you to receive such an outstanding honor? It meant a lot: I will do anything to get our team over the line, and last year I took a bigger role in terms of scoring/stats. I could have done a little better, but that is my motivation this year to get even better as a senior.

You also led the conference with 55 STL: what is the secret to being a great defender? You must be able to anticipate a little bit, which comes through watching film. It is super-fun when you know what your opponent is doing and a lot of my STL comes from knowing what actions they are running. Defense is a 5-person job, so you have to be aggressive…but also be smart with your anticipation.

You are captain of the team and 1 of 2 seniors on the roster: how much pressure is there on you to be a leader this year? Me/Cecilia/Perri are the 3 captains this year. I do not feel pressure because I have been put in this role since I was a sophomore so I am really used to it. A big role is keeping other people accountable by being very good every day. Pressure is a privilege, as people say.

Your father Simon was a professional rower, your sister Annie plays pro basketball in Australia, and your sister Fliss is 1 of your teammates: who is the best athlete in the family? It is funny because we are all such different athletes. Fliss has super strength and Annie is so quick. I was more of an all-around athlete who was pretty good at all the sports I played, and my dad is 6’6” who rowed/played rugby. We got a lot of our athleticism from my dad, while my mom had the smarts/personality.

You are majoring in Economics and after graduating next spring you will be joining Goldman Sachs as a Financial Analyst: why did you decide to go into private wealth management? I had no idea what I wanted to major in when I arrived: I took economics and psychology classes and liked both. I decided to major in economics but am also concentrating in psychology. I did an internship last summer at Goldman and interned at a smaller firm the previous summer. I enjoyed working with high-net-worth individuals and learning about the opportunities that involve giving money to charity. I am keeping my options open in case I can keep playing basketball.

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? We obviously want a repeat of the Ivy title but have never won it outright. We have always had a bad game in the Ivy tourney so we would like to make the NCAA tourney…and the Sweet 16…and beyond. For me, I want to play with the confidence of a senior, get up good shots as 1 of our main players, and remain consistent. I have our team goals in mind all the time and being a top-25 program is something that we can reach thanks to our super-tough schedule.

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